Security devices for preventing tampering with tape cassette players, particularly video cassette recorders, are well known. Some are key-operated locks to prevent theft, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,527,405, 4,616,490 and 4,640,106. Others are intended to forestall unauthorized operation and involve key-operated devices which prevent insertion of a cassette, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,628,713 and 4,655,057. All such designs are relatively complicated multi-part assemblies typical of locks operated by keys.
Another category of security devices for cassette players are those designed to prevent small children from inserting their hands or foreign objects into the cassette opening. The principal characteristic of such devices should be simplicity and low cost, much the same as designs for child-proof caps on medicine bottles. The only device in this category which is presently known is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,089, a box-like enclosure surrounding the entire cassette player and having its own hinged door held closed by a simple catch mechanism incapable of being operated by a small child.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a child-proofing device of the latter category with a minimum of parts and of extremely low cost.